Assistant Director for Residential Life

Colgate University; Village of Hamilton (NY); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Room and partial board included

Job summary

Colgate University in Hamilton, NY seeks an Assistant Director for Residential Life to lead junior and senior housing, oversee theme houses, and foster a vibrant, student-centered residential experience.

The role requires a master's degree in higher education (or related field) and experience with housing operations, staff supervision, and crisis management. Live-on-campus with some evening/weekend duties is expected.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of student development theory and practice.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and staff.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate to develop and assess strategies to enhance the junior/senior residential experience.
• Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate student staff; lead meetings and development.
• Oversee housing operations, assignments, waitlists, and related records using housing software.

Skills

Student development theory

Staff supervision

Crisis management

Communication

Education

Master's degree in higher education

Tools

StarRez

Job description

The Assistant Director for Residential Life serves as a key leadership member in managing junior and senior housing, including thematic and Greek chapter houses. The role focuses on creating a vibrant, student‑centered residential experience through program development, staff supervision, housing operations, and crisis management.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Associate Director to develop, implement, and assess strategies that enhance the junior and senior residential experience.
• Maintain high visibility within housing communities, build positive relationships, convey expectations, and foster accountability.
• Apply student development and learning‑community theories to build theme and interest community partnerships with students, faculty, and organizations.
• Translate the department’s philosophy and strategic goals into actionable practices supporting student growth.
• Proactively address community issues to promote belonging and inclusion for all residents.
• Recruit, hire, train, supervise, and evaluate a team of student staff, including leading meetings and professional development.
• Model professional behavior and provide guidance based on development theory.
• Utilize housing software to manage on‑campus assignments, waitlists, room changes, and related records.
• Manage administrative housing data sets, including key management, condition reporting, and seasonal processes.
• Maintain confidentiality of student records in accordance with institutional guidelines.
• Collaborate with University Communications to draft, edit, and disseminate high‑quality email correspondence and other student‑facing communications.
• Cascade key information regarding policies, conduct, and campus events to staff and residents.
• Serve as a welcoming presence for campus partners, students, and families; provide coverage for the central office on a rotating basis.
• Oversee day‑to‑day administrative and operational functions of multiple residence halls, thematic houses, and chapter houses, including maintenance, technology, and inventory.
• Coordinate opening, closing, and break procedures; partner with Facilities to address maintenance needs.
• Manage the damage‑billing process, including inspections, documentation, and finalization.
• Provide crisis intervention, documentation, and follow‑up, collaborating with Campus Safety, counseling services, and other resources.
• Support student staff during counseling or crises, serving as a primary referral resource.
• Participate in on‑call duty rotations to deliver comprehensive crisis response.
• Resolve student behavior incidents, applying appropriate sanctions per the Student Handbook.
• Execute on‑site logistics, program delivery, and process execution within budget constraints.
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships across the Residential Life team, division, and broader university community.
• Review departmental goals with supervisors, assess progress, and implement improvements.
• Apply assessment techniques to measure programmatic effectiveness and drive continuous improvement.
• Participate in university committees as appropriate.
• Fulfill responsibilities as a Campus Security Authority (CSA) by reporting Clery Act crimes to Campus Safety.

Qualifications

• Strong written and verbal communication skills; capable of building productive relationships with a diverse group.
• Knowledge of student development or human development theory and practice.
• Self‑motivated, able to manage multiple projects and student challenges simultaneously.
• Minimum of two years of relevant work experience.
• Experience working with faculty in learning‑community contexts is highly desired.
• Experience with housing software (e.g., StarRez) and reporting is preferred.
• Experience with thematic housing, Greek organizations, and chapter housing is preferred.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends; live on campus.

Education and Credentials

A master’s degree in higher education or a related field is required. A candidate with a bachelor’s degree and comparable experience may be considered.

Work Requirements

• Full‑time, on‑site position in Hamilton, NY.
• Willingness to work occasional evenings, weekends, and participate in the resident‑life on‑call rotation.
• Live on campus; room and partial board included in compensation.
• Work visa sponsorship is not available.

Benefits

Colgate University offers a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, retirement contributions, paid time off, family leave, health & wellness, and continuing education. For a full list, visit the Benefits page.

EEO Statement

The University recognizes that equal employment opportunity can only be achieved through demonstrated leadership. It is the Policy of the University to recruit, employ, retain, promote, and train employees on the basis of skills and experience, capacity to do the job, and valid job qualifications without regard to any characteristics protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws.